The Etheostoma cinereum complex is diagnosed from all other darters by having the combination of an elongated, pointy snout, rust to faint red spots in 4 horizontal rows dorsolaterally on the side of the body, dark brown to black oval to rectangular lateral blotches expanding to faint diagonal bands on the side of the body, red pigment on interradial membranes of the soft dorsal fin, and a distal red band of pigment in the spinous dorsal fin. For further diagnoses of this complex (a.k.a. subgenus Allohistium), see Bailey & Gosline (1955) and Page (1981). Etheostoma maydeni is distinguished from E. cinereum by a conspicuous red pigment on the external surface of the lips. Etheostoma maydeni also has modally 11 dorsal spines, 12 dorsal rays, and 23 caudal peduncle scales, whereas E. cinereum has modally 12 dorsal spines, 13 dorsal rays, and 25 caudal peduncle scales. Shepard & Burr (1984) also reported modally 41 vertebrae in populations described herein as E. maydeni and with populations of E. cinereum having modally 42 or 43 vertebrae (Ref. 89958).